NYC's First Digital TV Station

[Donnie Brasco]

Some interesting facts in this article (by By William LaRue Staff writer, The Post Standard):


WSYT first with digital signal.

Station almost immediately heralds itself as CNY's "first digital television station."

Fox affiliate WSYT-TV (Channel 68) claimed victory Thursday in the race to become the first TV station in Central New York to add a digital signal over the air.

WSYT-DT (Channel 19) began broadcasting at 3:23 p.m. Wednesday using a low-power, 4,000-watt digital transmitter on the same tower in the town of Otisco that holds WSYT's old-style analog antenna.

Almost immediately, the station began promoting itself on the air as "Central New York's first digital television station."

"I thought I just wanted to get there before my three (commer cial TV) counterparts," said Aaron Olander, general manager at WSYT.

Viewers need a digital TV set or tuner to watch WSYT's new signal, which is capable of producing high-definition pictures and CD-quality sound. However, programming from Fox is usually transmitted using a lower-resolution digital signal called 480p.

The low-power digital transmitter can reach most homes in areas around the city of Syracuse, Olander said.

WSYT will stop using this transmitter once it puts up a 1 million-watt digital antenna that will serve the entire Syracuse TV market. The station is waiting for the Federal Communications Commission to grant approval.

NBC affiliate WSTM-TV (Channel 3) and PBS affiliate WCNY-TV (Channel 24) are also working to add over-the-air digital broadcasts by the end of the month.

Jim Lutton, Channel 3 general manager, congratulated Olander on the low-power transmitter, although he said it's more of a public relations victory than an engineering accomplishment.

"My guess is we'll have the first full-power, high-definition signal in 1080i, which is the Cadillac standard in HDTV broadcasting," Lutton said.

Meanwhile, Time Warner Cable of Syracuse subscribers with high-definition cable boxes can tune in HDTV programming from both Channels 3 and 24, which are feeding their signals by fiber-optic lines to the cable company.

WCNY plans to broadcast HDTV programs in the evening. During the day, it is splitting the signal into three distinct channels of programming at standard definition. One channel mirrors current programs seen on Channel 24, while a second features children's programming and a third offers adult education.

Viewers can tune in WCNY's digital signals on Time Warner Cable channels 850-852 and a PBS high-definition demonstration channel on Channel 853. WSTM's digital signal is transmitting Channel 3's digital signal on Channel 863. NBC's lineup of HDTV programs includes "ER" and "Law & Order."

CBS affiliate WTVH-TV (Channel 5) and ABC affiliate WIXT-TV (Channel 9) said they don't plan to add digital signals before early next year.

[JohnnyG]

Gee, they're only 6 months past the FCC deadline! I'm sooo glad they're proud of themselves for this!

[james99]

When was that article written?

[digitalcable]

Gee, for a small market like Syracuse they will soon leapfrog the offerings in much larger Buffalo market. The Buffalo stations have been really slow in getting their act together.

[Donnie Brasco]

When was that article written?

November 08, 2002

Sorry, should have noted that.